New Delhi | The Supreme Court on Thursday raising concern over the rescue work of the trapped miners in the East Jaintia hills of Meghalaya, told the state government that it is not satisfied with the entire rescue operation.
A two-judge Supreme Court bench, hearing a mentioning by a lawyer in the matter asked the state government about the steps taken to rescue 15 miners, who are trapped in an illegal flooded coal mine in East Jaintia Hills since December 13 last year. The State government in its reply informed that 72 NDRF personnel, 14 Navy personnel and Coal India personnel are working since Dec 14. To which the apex court bench questioned “Then, why are they not successful?”
On December 13, around 20 miners entered the 370-foot mine at about 8 am. After reaching the bottom of the pit, the miners entered the horizontal manholes, often termed as ‘rat-holes’. According to villagers, one of the diggers could have accidentally punctured the walls of the cave and the river water gushed in immediately, trapping the miners inside. Luckily only five persons managed to climb out of the mine. Operations to rescue the trapped miners entered its 21st day on January 3rd as over 100 personnel from the NDRF and the SDRF are at the site, alongside the state police.
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